Logan O’Connor has resumed skating. Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar provided an encouraging update Tuesday on the injured forward, who has been sidelined since last spring’s playoffs after undergoing a second hip surgery. “He’s back on the ice, making progress. So that’s good,” Bednar told reporters following practice. “He’ll be a guy who uses this break to his advantage. He’s planning on getting on the ice, staying on the ice, and working his way back to hopefully joining the team in the near future if everything goes well.” Logan O'Connor practicing at an injured skate session on September 16. WHAT HAPPENED O’Connor underwent hip surgery on June 6, a procedure that was initially expected to keep him out for five to six months. He appeared close to returning in November before a separate soft-tissue injury forced him back off the ice. Since then, updates on O’Connor’s status had been scarce. He was not skating for an extended stretch, and the timeline for his return remained unclear. Despite the uncertainty, Bednar consistently stopped short of ruling him out for the season, maintaining that the organization still believed O’Connor could rejoin the team before a long-term injured reserve decision would need to be made. That patience now appears to be paying off. “We feel confident in the plan and he feels good about it and he’s starting to ramp up again,” Bednar said. After Wednesday’s matchup against the San Jose Sharks, the Avalanche will enter a three-week Olympic break. Once play resumes, Colorado faces a demanding stretch with 27 games packed into 52 days — a window that could allow O’Connor the opportunity to work his way back into the lineup if his progress continues. Although the Avalanche were eliminated by the Dallas Stars for the second straight postseason last spring, O’Connor was a bright spot in the series, recording six points — two goals and four assists — across seven games. O’Connor is in the first season of a six-year, $15 million contract extension with the Avalanche, underscoring the organization’s long-term belief in his value when healthy. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/befb1539-5f84-400a-b288-a6e45f86b624.jpeg]
